The Hero She Deserves
by Shadoe Dysteria
Summary: My take on the conversation Derek and Penelope had during "The Company". "Why don't you call me back once you... decide to be a real hero – the kind that Cindy is waiting for." The conversation and my editing. One Shot.


***I don't own Criminal Minds and the parts in **_**italics **_**were actually in the episode "The Company" (7x20)***

**The Hero She Deserves**

"_Yeah?" He was walking down the isle of the grocery store Cindy had last been seen, looking around._

"_Wow." Penelope looked shocked, but, considering the case, she let it slide._

"_Baby, I'm sorry," He sighed. He stopped walking to shake his head a bit, looking around, knowing he was already probably in too much over his head, but, not willing to admit it. "It's been a long night."_

"_OK, Mr. Snappy. I was just letting you know I sent the grocery store security camera footage to your tablet," She waited a few moments without a reply. "You're welcome." Honestly, she thought, sighing a bit. Something was eating at him, but, that wasn't an excuse to be rude. "OK, out with it. Where's your head at presently?"_

"_Honestly? I'm trying to figure out why I'm not back at that police station trying to break this son of a bitch." His voice was escalating, showing his anger._

"_Oh." She touched her hand to her forehead, a bit surprised._

_He looked annoyed, though, she couldn't see it. He stopped his walking again to speak into the phone. "What're you doing? What was that for?"_

"_For thinking that this is about you." She shook her head again, not believing her Baby Boy could be this selfish. Honestly, she didn't think he did it maliciously, but, the fact that he was doing it was still there._

"_Penelope, it is about me! He called me out by name." He was getting more forceful with his words, but, that didn't stop her from doing what she did next._

"_Oh!" She called loudly into the phone, making him bring it away from his ear._

"_Will you stop doing that!"_

"_Seriously, Derek? Seriously? "_

"Yes, seriously!" He was beginning to get exasperated. He loved his Baby Girl, but, there were just some things the woman did not understand.

"Oh!"

"Penelope, if you do that one more time-"

"You know what, Derek? I can't believe you! I cannot believe you are being this selfish." She shook her head, mouth open, eyes wide, almost ready to chuckle in amazement.

"Selfish? Baby Girl, that's my cousin! That's my family. Add to the fact that he wouldn't tell me where she is and he called me out by name-"

"Do you hear yourself!" She asked, throwing her hands up in the air in a small dramatic motion. "Me, me, me, my, I – Derek, this is not about _you_! This is about Cindy!"

"I know it's about her-"

"Are you sure? Because you don't sound like it."

"Yes I'm sure, Penelope." He sighed. He could see her point, but, his pride wasn't going to allow him to give in that easily. "All I'm saying is-"

"There you go again! Dammit, Derek Morgan, this time it's not about _you. _This time it's not about your issues, it's not about your problems, it's not about what you're going through. It is about Cindy. Your family. Honestly, if you can't pull your head out of your ass-"

"Hey!" He barked. "Don't do it – Don't go there." Not to mention he was really getting tired of her interrupting whatever he was planning to say.

"Don't go to the truth?"

"Don't say I don't care about my family."

"For the sake of – Damn you Derek Morgan! Here you go again! You, you, dammit, this whole time you've only been worried about _you! You know, in the entire time I have known you, you are like the glistening hero in the movie of life, and, now, just because some guy, some asshat guy, decides to call you out by name, you think you have the right to get all weird and decide '__**this time it's personal'? **__Really, Derek? Did you ever stop to think think said asshat is exhibiting this type of behavior to get under your skin?"_

_He sighed. He hated it when they fought. "As a matter of fact, I have."_

She made a simpering sound that sounded as if she strongly disagreed, but, said nothing on that subject. _"Well, y'know, a real hero would roll with that instead of tripping over his gigantic ego-"_

"I don't have an ego-"

"Do not interrupt me." She said, menacingly. Honestly, she needed to get off of the phone before she said something she may regret. He just made her so mad sometimes. _"Why don't you call me back once you've gotten off the self-absorption train and decide to be a real hero – the kind that Cindy is waiting for."_

And with that she hung up. He hung his head – he knew she was right. "The kind Cindy is waiting for, huh?" He asked, shaking his head, preparing to bring the footage up on up tablet. "Nah. The kind she deserves."


End file.
